The Kurt Rossknecht-designed Woodside course was the first of two 18-hole layouts to be built here at Golf Sempach. It opened in the mid 1990s and served the members for over a decade before the addition of the 18-hole Lakeside course transformed Golf Sempach into the largest golf complex in the country.
The 14th century Battle of Sempach between the knights of Leopold III, Duke of Austria, and the army of the Old Swiss Confederacy took place on a site very close to Golf Sempach. Don't expect a slaughtering on the Woodside course however as it could never be described as a hostile track.
In fact, fairways are generally forgiving – though they will tighten up over time when trees mature – and water hazards are sensibly positioned so visitors should be able to enjoy a relaxing game of golf in the heart of the Swiss countryside.
The recent course expansion project also included the construction of one of the most sleek and stylish clubhouses that you will ever come across. Set on a ridge that overlooks the fairways below, its appearance has been described as one that “oscillates between the rural warmth of a timber barn and the clear lines of a Masserati sports car”.
Starting in 2010, ten consecutive editions of the Challenge Tour's Swiss Challenge tournament were staged at the club.